Corey Hooker (Corey Hooker & The Cadillac Preachers)

A left-handed guitar from a beloved grandpa. A band with grit and groove. A songwriter who lets chords decide the weather of a verse. That’s the heart of our conversation with Corey Hooker, where Americana isn’t a label so much as a living room: folk honesty, rock momentum, and stories that start one way and end somewhere braver.We trace Corey’s path from Ohio stages to a decisive leap toward Colorado, a move designed to meet strangers and grow beyond a friends-and-family ceiling. He opens up about the craft behind his catalog—why a melody often leads the way, how a single “keyword” unlocks a chorus, and what happens when an angry draft flips into a sad truth, like in Perfect Family. We also get practical: Taylor versus Martin for stage and studio, the heirloom Austin that breaks writer’s block, and how live shows sharpen arrangements faster than any DAW. If you care about songwriting, there’s gold here: tight feedback loops with trusted critics, resisting the trap of perfectionism, and using crowd engagement to turn covers into gateways for original songs.The chemistry with the Cadillac Preachers powers much of this trajectory. Their partnership adds rock muscle to Corey’s folk roots, landing in a space fans have called fugitive folk rock. That dynamic opened doors at Laurie’s Roadhouse—first through a contest win, then with higher-profile slots—and now a direct support date for Mark Chesnutt. It’s a blueprint for independent artists: build community, test songs in the wild, and record when the performance lives in muscle memory. Through it all, Corey’s gratitude rings clear for the people who keep him grounded: a wife with blunt, loving notes, a mom who never misses a chance to show up, and bandmates who share the load.Hit play for an honest, energetic look at modern Americana, from writing rooms to big stages and the mountain roads in between. If you enjoyed the conversation, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—what song moment stayed with you the most?Send us Fan MailSupport the showLinksJay Franze: https://jayfranze.com/JFS Countdowns/Playlists: https://jayfranze.com/playlists/ContactContact: https://jayfranze.com/contact/SocialsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayfranzeYouTube: https://youtube.com/@jayfranzeEverywhere: @jayfranzeServicesServices: https://jayfranze.com/services/BooksBooks: https://jayfranze.com/books/MerchandiseMerchandise: https://jayfranze.com/merchandise/SupportSupport: https://jayfranze.com/support/Sponsor the Show: https://jayfranze.com/sponsor/Shout OutsHigh Mountain Breezes Music: https://highmountainbreezesmusic.com/VR Knives: https://www.facebook.com/VRKnives